Sports
Marietta Looks To End Losing Skid Against Hiram
By: Clay Benjamin
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The Marietta Pioneers (6-4, 1-3) step back on the court at Ban Johnson Arena Monday for the last time this year against the Hiram College Terriers (4-6, 0-2) after a 12-day Christmas hiatus.
One of the two seniors on this Lady Pioneer team, Paige Lamb, finds the break is exactly what the team needed.
“The break was a good time for us to recuperate and be able to have a little rest for the remainder of the season,” Lamb said. “We had a couple tough games that we didn’t end up pulling out a win. Practices have been going well the past couple days, so we are hoping to get back on our feet.”
After losing six straight games, the Terriers come into Ban Johnson on a 3-game win streak. Their offense has been clicking as of late, with the lowest margin of victory during their win streak being 13 points.
Freshman forward Brianne Goodrich leads Hiram in points this season, averaging 11.8 points per game. Christy Griffin and Kelsey Koskinen also aid Goodrich in scoring, as they average 10.9 and 10.5 points per game, respectively.
“Against Hiram, we need to stick to our game plan,” Marietta head coach Stacia Shrider said. “We need to pressure them and force them to make turnovers. We need to be able to up the tempo but also take care of the basketball.”
The Pioneers, on the other hand, come into this game on a 3-game losing streak with all three games coming on the road against Ohio Athletic Conference competition.
“We are very determined to get a win,” Shrider said. “We are very hungry for a ‘W’. Practices have been very competitive. We have learned from our mistakes and are ready to get a win.”
“It’s nice to come back and have great practices, and that helps when losing three straight,” said Tori Dixon, who is the second senior on the team. “We are just getting prepared to play at home again and count on the support from our fans to raise the energy in the gym so we can get another win.”
Ban Johnson Arena has been helpful to the Pioneers this season, as they are undefeated at home.
“It is nice to be able to shoot on the same hoops that we practice on every day,” Lamb said. “We are also very lucky to have such a supportive fan base with the environment in our favor.”
Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. inside Ban Johnson Arena.